Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
1099. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of the office of the Chief Dental Officer including the numbers employed in the office; the financial allocation to its work; and the activities carried out by the office since January 2021. [15081/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Chief Dental Officer has responsibility for:
- Advising the Minister for Heath on oral health policy.
- Providing ongoing advice and professional support to the Department in discharging its oral health policymaking role;
- Working with the dental profession, principally via the Regulator(s) nationally and internationally via WHO, Council of European Dentists, EU Commission and European Oral Health Platform, to ensure an evidence-based approach to developing oral health policy and services;
- Advising on regulatory reform of the dental health professions;
- Advising the Department and other agencies as appropriate on fluorides and health.
My Department does not have an Office of the Chief Dental Officer within its structures. The Chief Dental Officer is based in my Department's Health Protection Division and works collaboratively with colleagues both within this division and other parts of the Department carrying out other work. The Department is not organised on the basis of stand-alone business units with distinct budgets.
The principal areas of focus for the work of the Chief Dental Officer are aligned with the Programme for Government and include:
- A series of HRB evidence reviews were commissioned, three of which are due to be published;
- Consideration of potential pilot programme for the under-2s to align with the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte;
- Governance of the Ministerial Expert Body on Water Fluoridation;
- Consideration of dental regulation;
- Scoping of dental apprenticeship scheme;
- Workforce Analysis of dental professions;
- Working with key agencies including the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, on the phasedown of dental amalgam;
- Initial development of clinical care pathways on the management of dental caries.
The Chief Dental Officer also fulfils certain international commitments, viz:
- A European WHO strategic lead for the WHO global oral health strategy;
- President-elect, Council of the European Chief Dental Officers;
- Board Member, EU Platform for Oral Health.
